Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-24
THE DYING JUGGERNAUT.
The Great God has had his Day
Coolies Hired 10 Drag the Car Once
Drawn by DevOtees-The spread Of
mOhammedanism.

From the London Standard
The announcement that the once famous festi.
val OF Juggernaut has so declined In popularity as
TO render 1t necessary for the priests to hire coolies
to drag the car is q measure OF the extent to
which the destructive solvent OF western thought
Is being applied TO Eastern creeds. The car OF the
great god of Pooree was one OF the most sacred
or Brahminic properties" and the Rath Jattra a
festival which, in Importance, yielded to that
OF no other deity in the Hindoo Pantheon.
From every part of the vast empire Of
Hindostan pilgrims flocked to share in it,
and when the car Of Juggernaut was dragged
once year from the temple in order to
battle the god in the cool water OF the tank a
mile and half distant, the widest enthusiasm
seized the vast multitude OF devOteeS. Thousands
rushed TO seize the cables, ana so eager were the
volunteers for this holy service that the best and
greatest men OF Orissa struggled with each other
guage of an old writer who witnessed the Rath
Jattra In its palmy days, They are so greedy and
eager TO draw 1t that whosoever by shoulder.ng,
crowding, showing, heaving, thrusting, or In any
1nsOent way can but lay a hand upon the rope,
they think themselves blessed and happy. And
when 1t is going along the city there are many
that viii offer themselves sacrifice to the IDOL
and desperately lie down on the ground that the
are killed outright. Some get broken arms, some
broken legs, SO that many are destroyed, and
think to merit heaven"
At even q later date martyrs to JugRernaut, or
Jagganna'th. as he is more correctly termed, were
not 1nrreQuent. When Francis Buchanan was in
PoOree early in this century, he describes the harsh
grating OF the gigantic car as it moved along the
obscene songs OF the priests in honor OF the god,
and the fierce glances which the fanatics bestowed
on the bee1-eattng Engltshmen, as a pilgrim an
n0unced himself ready to become sacrifice TO the
idol. No one daring or caring to prevent the self
lin N the man prestrated himself IN the
his lace with mis- arms stretched forward. The
multitude passed around him. leaving the space
clear, until ne was crushed TO death by the wheels
DOlderOlS q
praise was Raised and as the god was seen TO
''smile" at the batton OF spouting blood, the de-
voices threw cOwrieS and pieces OF money on the
body OF the victim In appreciation Of the holy deed
by which he had won Immortality in the Hindoo
Walhalia.
1t is, therefore suggestive OF strange revo-
luton in HindOO opinion to hear that not only
are victims lacking but that, instead OF thou
sands struggling for the honor OF a place at
the drag ropes, laboring men, at so many
annas per diem, have to be hired to perform
the sacred junction. The awe OF the Indian
people for "the Lord OF the World" has been
the great god OF Orissa has been on the wane,
iioerately offered up to the hideous idol is
fast getting beyond the power of the very
Oldest OF Old Indians to recall Admitting that
the number OF devotees this year Is smaller ow
Ing TO the loss OF two pilgrim ships-and the
prophecy that third will be wrecked before
The year is Quit is 9udeniable that jag
lt brought to the priests and the towns
people OF Pooree is likely to vanish be-
u
crepit wretch, weary of life, Or drugged by the
priests with Indian hemp or opium, will wildly
throw himself In front OF the wheels, though he IS
usually dragged out by the police, who have
orders TO prevent any attempts at suicide Saddesu
abasement of ali from the standpoint o. Brahnln-
Ism, 1t happened a few years ago, for the first
time in history, that, TO the horror and chagrin OF
the priests, the Car OF JaggannaLh stood still in
the streets or Pooree While the pilgrims looked on
lii 1mplouS apathy. Yet no harm Oefeii theln al
though Il subsequent famine has been attributed
to their sacrilegtous careleSSness. However, the
result has been, that, though worshiperS still
colae to Pooree, they just frequently prefer to
save themselves the trouble OF hauling the gods,
and, as has happened on the present occasion, the
priests AFRAID or the IDOLS never reaching the tank
have contracted with irreverential coolies to per-
form the job for stipulated number of rupees.
Mortality there Is, OF course STILL The poor die lOr
want or food, OF disease, and OF lack OF proper
accommodation. But there is no longer any need
for interfering, for the wrong will right Itself
by Jagganna'G In ceasing TO draw Tue East, we
Iear Is already grown lax in its religious ob5erv
anceS. The pilgrim takes third-cIass circular
ticket to the holy places. Infidel ship owners
Issue passages to Djeddah, and tourist contrac-
tor escorts the faithful over the forty miles be-
tween Mecca and the sea. The Egyptian der
viSneS are becoming extremely cnary about
making pavement OF their persons for the
Saadeeyeh Sheyk TO ride over, and now that the
Indian eXchequer is bemOanng he reduced re-
turns from the "JaggaRna'th trade" and coolies
have To De hired to drag the car, seem long
way from the time When JOB Charnock factor at
Fort William, was converted To HnuooisIn, or
wnen Gen. stewart engaged Brahmin TO perform
daily worship among the Idols in MS bungalow.